I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to sheet feeding and delivering, and particularly to apparatus and method for deflecting or changing the direction of conveyance of paper sheets traveling between processing and/or handling stations.
II. Prior Art and Other Considerations
Apparatus of the type to which this invention pertains are used to deliver a paper sheet from a first station or input station to a second station or processing station, with the direction of travel of the sheet entering the second station being in a direction which is at right angles to the direction of travel of the paper sheet leaving the input station. Examples of suitable types of respective first and second stations are (1) a cutter station whereat individual paper sheets are severed from an endless form, and (2) a downstream folding station to which the severed sheets are delivered in a direction which is at right angles to the direction of travel of the paper sheet leaving the cutter station. Other examples of suitable types of respective first and second stations are (1) a first folding station and (2) a downstream second folding station (assuming that a paper sheet is to be folded along crossing fold lines). In accordance with the above, in addition to its normal meaning the terminology "paper sheet" is also used herein to describe an article which has been obtained by a folding of a paper sheet. Also, in addition to its normal meaning the terminology "edge of paper sheet" is also used herein to describe a fold line.
Prior art apparatus of the type to which this invention relates generally comprise a feeding conveyor which has a discharge end at a receiving deck. The receiving deck is provided with an array of driven conveyor rollers (having apices disposed approximately in the plane of the deck) and a guide ruler for laterally guiding the paper sheet, particularly the edge of the sheet which is the leading edge (in the direction of conveyance of the feeding conveyor). Typically the axes of the conveying rollers are not at right angles to the direction to which the paper sheets are deflected but are so inclined that the rollers tend to move the paper in a direction that has a component which is directed toward the guide ruler. The guide ruler is provided with movably mounted balls which are associated with respective conveying rollers and bear on the apices of the associated rollers.
In apparatus of the type described herein, once a paper sheet is fed in a first direction from the input station, the guide ruler is used to laterally guide the paper sheet as the apparatus conveys the sheet in a second direction of travel to the processing station. It has been found that the paper sheet to be handled can be more precisely deflected to travel in the second or predetermined direction and, as a result, the paper sheet can be more precisely processed or handled in the processing or handling station which is downstream with respect to the second direction, if the distance from the discharge end of the feeding conveyor to the guide ruler is adjusted in dependence on the size of the paper. If the papers to be handled differ greatly in size, that distance must be properly adjusted to ensure a trouble-free and reliable conveyance of the paper sheets.
According to prior art practice, an adjustment of the distance between the guide ruler and the discharge end of the feeding conveyor was facilitated by a guide ruler which was displaceable along the rotational axes of the conveying rollers. To make displacement of the guide ruler feasible, a guiding flange of the guide ruler had to be formed with arcuate recesses so that the conveying rollers would be accommodated and so that portions of the guiding flange would depend below the level of the apices of the conveying rollers. The sheet edge to be guided was thus prevented from moving between the lower edge of the guiding flange of the guide ruler and the apices of the conveying rollers.
Despite prior art efforts to prevent paper jams of the type described, experience has shown that if a paper sheet is delivered by the feeding conveyor at a relatively high speed and if the sheet edge to be guided initially extended at a small angle to the guiding flange of the guide ruler, the leading edge or corner of the sheet can be caught at the accurate recesses of the guiding flange of the guide ruler In such a case a paper jam occurs and operation of the apparatus is halted.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which changes the direction of conveyance of a paper sheet in a manner whereby disturbances due to a catching of a paper sheet at the guide ruler will be reliably avoided, with the distance between the guide ruler and the discharge end of the feeding conveyor being adjustable.